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This summer, like every summer for the last 5 years the Step Up Program has connected local youth with employers. Whats different this year? There’s been a huge expansion of the program since it started, with even more sponsors and partners than before, including having a dedicated film crew (Hint…It was Us!) to share their vision to even more members of the community. We followed along, documenting the new events to educate and inspire kids to reach for something greater.

It’s a whirlwind tour of major landmarks of Omaha, from UNMC and exploring careers in health and medicine, learning about media jobs and business at the CenturyLink Center and Woodman of the World, learning about coding and computer science at the Interface School, to learning culture and history at Love’s Jazz Museum, to making proposals to City Council and the Mayor’s Office, it was a non stop showcase of possibility.

Seeing the sparks of interest and excitement from the youth, we knew we were witness to something special. Seeds of ideas that, with hope, will sprout and grow. It can be hard spreading the word of these kind of programs to more and more people, though with the hope that seeing more of it all with their own eyes can help to prove how important a different kind of summer can be for our next generations. And now, with summer coming to a close and schools starting back up, it’s the impressions left on these young individuals that will lead them and inspire them to move ahead and Step Up.